Page 89 of Wicked Knight

I was glad to get the note from Mackenzie. I worried all night about how I would find a way to see her again. The thing is, seeing her is easy.

I could walk right up to her apartment at Myrrdin House or meet her on the field at football practice. But I know my father would find out.

I couldn’t even pull off my usual stunts by using the back entrance to Myrrdin because I know I’m being watched more than ever.

After my father left yesterday, I thought about everything under the sun that I could do to fix the situation. I still kept coming up with the same wall surrounding me, practically laughing at me because there's so much at risk and so much to lose if I fight back.

Now that my secret is exposed, everything I try to do will make life bad for Mackenzie.

That’s what my father will do. If he can't reach me to hurt me, he'll hurt her instead.

I follow the river to the top where the boulders are gathered at the caves and find her standing under the willow tree.

The sound of my feet on the dry leaves alerts her to my presence. She turns around, and her beautiful face brightens at the sight of me.

Mackenzie rushes forward, and I run toward her, too. We meet in the middle, and I pull her into my arms for a hug.

As I hold her, I wish I could never let her go. Life would be so simple if that were the answer, just holding her.

“Please tell me you're okay,” she stutters, inching away to look at me.

“I'm fine.” I nod, giving her a small smile.

She sent Kade to the apartment yesterday to check if I was okay. I know she hated to leave me in that situation with my father holding a gun on me, but I wouldn’t have had her do anything different.

“Are you okay?” I hold her gaze and search her eyes.

She nods slowly. “Yes.”

I cup her face and pull her closer to me. “I'm so sorry about yesterday.”

I still feel like a helpless fool for not being able to do anything about my father. Things escalated in such a way that I never saw coming.

“It's okay. I was really worried about you. I didn't want to leave you.”

“You needed to be safe and away from my father. He is the most unhinged person I’ve ever met in my life.” And there I was, telling her she didn’t answer to him. Yesterday gave me a rude awakening of what he is capable of.

“Thanks for defending me.”

“Of course, I was going to defend you.” Hitting my father when he called her a slut was satisfying. I’ve never hit him before. It felt good, but it wasn’t enough.

“This is all my fault, Mackenzie. I got us into this mess.”

She chuckles, but there's no trace of humor in her eyes. “You? No, this is my fault. Remember, I got myself into that contract.”

“Then I took charge of it knowing the risk.” I cut her off before she can continue. “What happened with your parents?” That's the part I want to know. We both know what happened with my father, but I'm still in the dark when it comes to her parents.

“Everything bad.”

“Tell me.”

She bows her head, and her chest caves. I guide her face back to meet my gaze.

“I can't see you anymore.” Her voice is a low hum of sadness.

She's not telling me anything new. Not seeing each other anymore was a given. I'm not supposed to see her either. My father was clear about that

Yet hearing her say it rips me apart.

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